Cynical Dad

Because It's Never Too Early For Christmas Music

2009-11-20T01:15:00.002-04:00

Here's I Wish It Was Christmas Today by the frontman of The Strokes, Julian Casablancas:

And yes, you've heard this tune somewhere else before.

I Need My Own Man Cave

2009-11-19T16:49:00.007-04:00

With both the Tar Heels and the Panthers on TV tonight, I need a home theater system with nine TVs (in case you're wondering what to get me for Christmas).

Until then, I'll just have to keep dragging myself to the sports bar.

Of course, I have to go to a sports bar if I want to watch the Panthers game because Time-Warner does not carry the NFL Network. And yes, I plan on bitching about this as much as possible. Just like last year!

And for tonight's game, I'm going with Simmons: Panthers (-3).

Without Ronnie Brown, the Dolphins have no Wild Cat.

No Wild Cat, No Offense.

No Offense, No Win.

Yet Another Open Letter To My Daughter

2009-11-18T22:09:00.000-04:00

Dear Zoey--

You know we love you and would love to give you anything your little heart desires.

Within reason.

I don't quite understand why you want those stupid things. Maybe you're proud of your family? Maybe you're just in love with your name? I don't know.

But we will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever put those asinine family stick figures on the back of either of our cars.

Sorry, babe. How about a pony?

Hugs & Kisses,
Mommy & Daddy
Management

Tweets Of The Week XV

2009-11-17T22:00:00.003-04:00

Ten whole tweets this week. You guys are lucky, lucky devils!

Wanted: Pretty woman who knows how to build an ark. Ability to work in a bikini a plus. Please send pictures with references. -- 11.11.09
What the hell is The Weather Channel doing playing Sublime during the local forecast? -- 11.11.09
When I took the kids to school today, we passed two large lakes that were not there yesterday. Go away, rain! -- 11.12.09
The Who? The hell? I'm tired of dinosaurs performing during the Super Bowl's halftime show. -- 11.12.09
Filed under things I wish I'd never seen: Rivers Cuomo and Travis Barker backing Taylor Swift in the Band Hero commercial. -- 11.12.09
Oh, Slash! How could you? http://bit.ly/2FhLSv -- 11.14.09
God. Bill Belichick's balls must hang to the floor. -- 11.15.09
They should make women's perfume that smells like coffee. -- 11.16.09
A PR pitch I received today claimed I have the "ability to influence others." HA! HA! HA! I can't even get my kids to listen to me. -- 11.17.09
Merry Madagascar? Isn't it a little too early for the animated holiday crap? -- 11.17.09

Yeah, 30% of them were weather-related. I lead an exciting life.

When You Call Something "Untitled," Aren't You Titling It?

2009-11-16T22:37:00.004-04:00

We're going to be spending the night at a Ronald McDonald House in a few weeks.

I really hope we get to meet Grimace.

An Open Letter To My Daughter

2009-11-15T22:49:00.001-04:00

Dear Zoey--

First of all, we're both really impressed that you've recently started reading nonfiction books. While we love hearing of the trials and tribulations of Katie Kazoo, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, Stink, and that wimpy little bastard, it's nice to hear you spouting off facts for a change. And no, we didn't know there are over 5,000 species of jumping spiders. Wow!

However, your recent love of insects has become somewhat problematic. Prior to this recent journey to the Land Of Nonfiction, if you saw a bug, your immediate reaction was, "KILL IT!" Now, you talk to the bug instead. And while it's cute seeing you on your hands and knees talking to your two-, six-, and eight-legged friends, your mother and I still operate under the premise that bugs are not friends.

While I did scoop a spider off the floor and set it down outside unharmed for you the other day, don't expect that to be a recurring event. If you have any doubts on our stance on bugs, please commit to memory the following refrain:

An outside insect can be my best friend.
An inside insect's life will come to an end.

Hugs & Kisses,
Mommy & Daddy
Management

Beating Bill Simmons 2009: Week Ten

2009-11-14T22:30:00.004-04:00

Cynical Dad NFL Power Index

Here are my top six teams in the NFL:

New Orleans Saints (8-0)
Indianapolis Colts (8-0)
Minnesota Vikings (7-1)
New England Patriots (6-2)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

Already 1-0 for the week after Thursday night's snoozefest. Here are my picks for week ten (home teams in CAPS, Bill's picks in red):

Falcons (-1.5) over PANTHERS
I'd be going the other way if DeAngelo Williams was healthy.

DOLPHINS (-10) over Bucs
The Dolphins will run all over Tampa Bay.

VIKINGS (-16.5) over Lions
Every week, I think to myself, "Man, the Lions and the points look appetizing." No more, I say!

Jaguars (+7) over JETS
I don't trust either of these teams. But I doubt either one of them could beat the other by a TD.

TITANS (-7) over Bills
While I think all this talk of the Titans going perfect for the rest of season and making the playoffs is silly, I don't think they'll have any trouble with the Bills.

Bengals (+7) over STEELERS
I think the Bengals will pull the upset (but is it truly an upset when Cincinnati's already won their previous meeting?).

Saints (-14) over Rams
This game could get ugly quickly.

Chiefs (+2) over RAIDERS
Oh, God. I hope this isn't the CBS game this week.

CARDINALS (-9) over Seahawks
Another game I hope won't be televised locally.

Broncos (-3.5) over REDSKINS
Got a two-game losing streak? Washington to the rescue!

Eagles (+1.5) over CHARGERS
Which one of these teams is the biggest underachiever?

Cowboys (-3) over PACKERS
Don't look now, but Romo isn't sucking. Of course, it's not December yet.

COLTS (-3) over Patriots
Went back and forth and back and forth on this one.

Ravens (-10.5) over BROWNS
It doesn't matter who you put in at QB, Mangini. They both suck.

This Week

Me: 1-0
Simmons: 1-0

Last Week

Me: 6-6-1
Simmons: 7-5-1

Season

Me: 67-60-2
Simmons: 75-52-2

DISCLAIMER: This is provided for entertainment purposes only. If you follow my advice, you are a fool.

Seriously, if you ever spend money based on something I say, have your head examined.

Songs About God & Jesus

2009-11-13T23:24:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday night, I did another one of my Nameless Twitter Radio Shows. This week's theme was songs that mentioned God or Jesus. Here's the playlist:

Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge by Screaming Blue Messiahs (me)
Shine On Sweet Jesus by The Flaming Lips (me)
Dear God by XTC (Mommymae)
God by Tori Amos (Ramblings Of A Tired Mama)
Rock N Roll Jesus by Kid Rock (Dereksmommissy)
Jesus Built My Hotrod by Ministry (The Mom Slant)
God, Pt. 2 by U2 (For A Different Kind Of Girl)
Kooler Than Jesus by My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult (Coffeequeen)
Grace Of God Go I by Flogging Molly (Mr. Big Dubya)
Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode (Major Bedhead)
God Is A Bullet by Concrete Blonde (The Goat And Tater)
Dropkick Me, Jesus by Bobby Bare (ClumberKim)
God Of Thunder by Kiss (Cool Zebras)
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys (me)
Jesusland by Ben Folds (me)
Come To Jesus by Mindy Smith (All Blogged Up And Nowhere To Go)
Money Is Not Our God by Killing Joke (TwoBusy)
Jesus Of Suburbia by Green Day (My A-Cup Runneth Over)
God Save The Queen by The Sex Pistols (Down To Earth Mama and Mom-101)
God's Comic by Elvis Costello (A Smeddling Kiss)
Jesus Christ Pose by Soundgarden (PetCobra and Luke, I Am Your Father)
Chocolate Jesus by Tom Waits (Raging Dad)
Jesus Wrote A Blank Check by Cake (The Weirdgirl)
Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam by Nirvana (Laughter Thought Media)
Local God by Everclear (Trysha's House)
Kiss Me, Son Of God by They Might Be Giants (me)

Pretty good show, guys. Thanks for coming out!

Next week, it's Satan's turn.

Magical Evening

2009-11-12T19:00:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again: beginning tonight, the NFL expands its programming to three nights a week! Yeah, baby!

Unfortunately, we do not have DirecTV and my cable provider, Time Warner, is still engaging in a pissing match with the NFL Network and refuses to carry that channel.

So in short, I can't watch the game from my recliner.

But I'm willing to make sacrifices. It will be tough, but I'll drag myself to the crowded sports bar to be with 150 of my closest friends to watch the Bears collapse. I really wanted to spend the evening on the couch with my wife watching Grey's Anatomy, but my friends need me. Sorry, hon.

And for tonight's game, I'm going with Simmons: NINERS (-3) over Bears.

When Good Blogs Go Bad

2009-11-11T22:30:00.001-04:00

I think I've made it abundantly clear in the past that music has always been an important aspect of my life. I run my Nameless Twitter Radio Show every week. Hell, this makes the 90th post on Cynical Dad that I've tagged Music.

But try as I might, I can't really write about music.

I love music. I love experiencing new music. I know what I like. I hear something new, something I like, and my whole body hears it. Embraces it. Digests it.

But try as I might, I can't put my feelings about music into words. My music reviews tend to consist of words like "Awesome" or "Sucks." I'm like the Roger Ebert of the music world, only instead of thumbs, I rely on the vocabulary of a thirteen-year-old boy.

But there are people out there who can write about music, sites devoted to the love of music.

Sadly, we lost a great one on Monday.

While Idolator still exists, it is dead to me. On Monday, their editor, Maura Johnston, stepped down.

Prior to Johnston's exit (exile?), Idolator was a daily read for me. They wrote about any and all kinds of music -- from mainstream fluff to the super-indie hipper-than-thou Pitchfork shit. But in the twenty-four posts since her departure, two posts have been devoted to Britney Spears, three to Lady GaGa, and a whopping five to various American Idol alums, with some Fergie, Kanye, Michael, and Shakira thrown in for good measure. This does not interest me.

While the "classic" Idolator also covered these artists, it was often funny or snarky. But that's the thing -- even when Idolator covered artists I didn't care about, I still read each post. The writing was that good.

So I wish Idolator well on their trip to Top40Land. I just won't be along for the journey.

And I hope Maura Johnston lands a gig at another site (or better yet -- starts her own site) that buries their asses.

At least I still have Popdose.

Tweets Of The Week XIV

2009-11-10T22:03:00.001-04:00

I'm not good at introductions.

Guess what I found out today? If you drop your camera on concrete, it breaks! Who knew? -- 11.07.09
I drove a Segway for the first time today. Rockin' like it's 2002! -- 11.08.09
Hey kids! See that new big thing outside our house that makes our house warm again? Merry Christmas! -- 11.09.09
The coolest thing ever! At least for today: http://bit.ly/18RWxH -- 11.09.09
I am addicted to Lamebook. There. I said it. -- 11.09.09

And... scene.

Sometimes I Forget

2009-11-09T09:51:00.000-04:00

Quick! What has two thumbs and should probably tell people he's going to do something before he starts doing it? This guy!

Bonus joke: What has two thumbs and never gets tired of this joke? This guy!

But back to the first joke. I'm doing NaBloPoMo again this year. I just forgot to mention it. I've done it every year, so it's pretty much part of this site.

What does that mean to you? You'll get approximately 50% more posts from me this month.

And probably some filler.

Like this post.

Weezer

2009-11-08T23:20:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday night, I did another one of my Nameless Twitter Radio Shows. This week's them was nothing but Weezer, in honor of the release of Raditude. Here's the playlist:

(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To (me)
The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn) (me)
Say It Ain't So (Mommymae)
Hash Pipe (Mr. Big Dubya)
Beverly Hills (FlipFlopsChels)
Undone -- The Sweater Song (VDog)
Buddy Holly (Funny Things Are Everywhere)
El Scorcho (Chunkybumble)
My Name Is Jonas (The Weirdgirl)
Island In The Sun (MajorBedhead)
Pig (me)
Susanne (me)
Pork And Beans (Four Funny Kids)
Keep Fishin' (MajorBedhead)
The Good Life (me)
Knockdown Dragout (me)
We All Are On Drugs (The Weirdgirl)
Everybody Get Dangerous (Everything Under The Sun)
Perfect Situation (The Weirdgirl and Mommymae)
Dope Nose (Mommymae)
This Is Such A Pity (Syzdekistan)
Don't Let Go (me)
Pink Triangle (me)
Photograph (me)
Miss Sweeney (me)
In The Garage (me)
The Girl Got Hot (me)
Creep (Radiohead cover) (me)

I'd like to thank everyone who dropped by. Next week, we'll be playing songs that namedrop God and/or Jesus.

Seriously.

Beating Bill Simmons 2009: Week Nine

2009-11-07T23:13:00.003-04:00

No time for commentary this week. But after my poor showing last week, is that really such a bad thing?

Here are my picks for week nine (home teams in CAPS, Bill's picks in red):

FALCONS (-10) over Redskins
Cards (+3) over BEARS
Ravens (-3) over BENGALS
Texans (+9) over COLTS
JAGS (-6.5) over Chiefs
Packers (-9.5) over BUCS
Dolphins (+10) over PATS
NINERS (-4) over Titans
Panthers (+13) over SAINTS
Lions (+10) over SEAHAWKS
Chargers (+4.5) over GIANTS
Cowboys (+3) over EAGLES
BRONCOS (+3) over Steelers

Last Week

Me: 4-9
Simmons: 4-9

SEASON

Me: 61-54-1
Simmons: 68-47-1

Friday Night Earworm

2009-11-06T19:34:00.000-04:00

This, my friends, is how to make a music video:

And if you're reading this and the video has been pulled, it was for the latest single, You Know Me, by Robbie Williams.

Man In Car

2009-11-05T23:25:00.000-04:00

Rejected. Again.

Maybe it was the repulsive stench of fear, desperation, and awkwardness that permeated through every pore of my body.

Maybe it was the robotic spiel where I spit out a thousand words in ninety seconds without coming up for air.

Maybe they watched me rehearse in my rearview mirror. A Comedy of Errors. Practicing my lines, smiling, laughing, acting confident. I look human. A total lie. The guy in the mirror is so much easier to talk to than the guy behind the counter.

Every once in awhile, they throw me a bone. Maybe out of pity. Maybe I'm scaring the customers. Maybe they really do want to help.

But not this time. I go back to the car and drive to another place.

And start working on my lines.

27

2009-11-04T23:33:00.000-04:00

It's the top of the ninth and the Yankees are leading 7-3 over the Phillies. They are three outs away from their 27th Word Series title. Time to jump in and provide commentary!

11:38 PM Personally, I thought it was a bad idea to bring Rivera in so early. They had a four-run lead. He didn't need to record the final five outs. Maybe Joe was trying to make sure Mariano would be named MVP?

11:39 PM Rivera's set to face Francisco, Ruiz, and Rollins this inning.

11:42 PM And they've brought in Matt Stairs to bat for Francisco.

11:43 PM Line drive to Jeter. One away.

11:43 PM Carlos Ruiz at the plate.

11:45 PM Full count on Ruiz.

11:46 PM Rivera walks Ruiz.

11:46 PM Double play time!

11:46 PM Rollins doesn't get enough. Long fly out to Swisher.

11:47 PM One out away! Victorino at the plate.

11:48 PM Big whiff. One strike away!

11:49 PM Victorino has fouled off three in a row.

11:50 PM Make that four.

11:50 PM Full count. 9-pitch AB.

11:50 PM Ground out to Cano! BALL GAME!

11:52 PM How about Matsui's night? 3 for 4, 2B, HR, 6 RBI. Wow.

11:54 PM It's cool seeing each individual player's reaction to the final out.

11:57 PM And they're already trying to sell us stuff! Only $29.99 for a Yankees World Series Champs hat. Gotta love capitalism.

12:01 AM Time for South Park. Night everyone!

It's been a pretty good year for me, sportswise (yeah, I made that up). Carolina won the NCAA tournament in April and now the Yankees win the World Series.

You listening to this, Panthers?

Tweets Of The Week XIII

2009-11-03T22:12:00.001-04:00

Yeah. That time again.

So there's an online service that lets you rent books (like Netflix, only with books). Um... isn't this called a library? -- 10.30.09
I wish my kids were old enough to go to haunted houses. Or weren't afraid of haunted houses. -- 10.30.09
Dear Open Office, Why have I ignored your call for so long? Signed, Your new BFF, Chag -- 10.30.09
New neighbors gave out cheeseburgers to the adults as treats. And the wife was in a French maid costume. Best neighbors ever. -- 10.31.09
I'm sick of the girl who's in her pajamas but not going to bed. Go to college, go to hell. I don't care. Just go away. -- 11.03.09

Ignore me.

An Open Letter To Joe Girardi

2009-11-02T17:29:00.002-04:00

Hey Joe--

First of all, I've got to tell you I'm a lifelong Yankees fan. I also feel you've done a hell of a job managing the team and the different personalities this year. Hell, A-Rod alone must've caused more than a few gray hairs!

Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, I've got to tell you that I feel you're making a B-I-G mistake tonight by starting A.J. Burnett on three days of rest. Burnett isn't the most consistent pitcher on your team; you never know what you're going to get when he takes the mound. I have three big concerns concerning tonight's game:

Burnett is pitching on three days of rest. Is he capable of doing that? I have my doubts.
He is pitching away from Yankee Stadium. He has a 3.51 ERA at home this year and a 4.54 ERA away from Yankee Stadium. In the World Series, where every run is important, do you think you really need to give up an extra run?
He'll be going against a fully-rested Cliff Lee, the guy with a microscopic 0.54 ERA this postseason.

If I managed the Yankees, I would start a sacrifical lamb like Charles Gaudin in tonight's Game 5. If he goes out there and gets the win, GREAT! But if Gaudin doesn't, you would have a fully-rested Burnett ready for game 6 at home. Doesn't that make more sense?

But I'm fully expecting the Yankees to lose tonight given Burnett's away performance this year and Lee's lights-out postseason record. You're planning on pitching Andy Pettitte in Game 6, also on three days of rest. Dude is 37 years old and has never pitched on three days notice. This will not end well. Then you'll have Sabitha on the mound for the make-or-break Game 7. Is this really how you want things to go down?

I hope I'm wrong. I hope Burnett goes out there tonight and pitches a perfect game. But I wouldn't be too surprised if my scenario comes to fruition.

Good luck!

Hugs & Kisses,
Chag

More Scary Music

2009-11-01T23:52:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday night, I did another one of my Nameless Twitter Radio Shows. This week's theme was scary music. Like last year's Halloween show, I played horror movie trailers between songs. Unlike last year's Halloween show, I showed up 30 minutes late.

Anyway, here's the playlist:

Mechanical Man by Billy Joe Armstrong (me)
Trailer: Zombieland
Boris The Spider by The Who (me)
Trailer: Children Of The Corn
I Put A Spell On You by Screamin' Jay Hawkins (Confessions Of A Recovering Journalist)
Trailer: 28 Days Later
Werewolves Of London by Warren Zevon (The Weirdgirl)
Trailer: Frankenhooker
This Is Halloween from The Nightmare Before Christmas (Major Bedhead)
Trailer: Creepshow
Everyday Is Halloween by Ministry (Chunkybumble)
Trailer: Child's Play
Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus (For A Different Kind Of Girl)
Trailer: Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter
Do The Bruce Campbell by MC Lars & YTCracker (me)
Trailer: My Name Is Bruce
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield (Mr. Big Dubya)
Trailer: The Exorcist
Theme from Tales From The Crypt by Danny Elfman (Sashalyn)
Trailer: April Fool's Day
Fairground by Pulp (me)
Trailer: Happy Birthday To Me
Dragula by Rob Zombie (Funny Things Are Everywhere)
Trailer: Silent Night, Deadly Night
We're All Going To Hell by The Bastard Fairies (me)
Trailer: Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes
1, 2, Freddy's Coming For You from A Nightmare On Elm Street (Ramblings Of A Tired Mama)
Trailer: Night Of The Comet
I Will by Radiohead (All Blogged Up And Nowhere To Go)
Trailer: Student Bodies
Do They Know It's Halloween? by North American Halloween Prevention Institute (me)

I'd like to thank everyone for coming out and once again, I apologize for my tardiness.

And in honor of their new album, this week's show will be devoted to Weezer.

I can hear some of you groaning.

Beating Bill Simmons 2009: Week Eight

2009-10-31T23:55:00.002-04:00

Cynical Dad NFL Power Index

Here are my top six teams in the NFL:

New Orleans Saints (6-0)
Indianapolis Colts (6-0)
Denver Broncos (6-0)
Minnesota Vikings (6-1)
New England Patriots (5-2)
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

I had a really good week last week. Time to add to it! Here are my picks for week eight (home teams in CAPS, Bill's picks in red):

Broncos (+3.5) over RAVENS
The Broncos have a much better defense than the Ravens.

Texans (-3.5) over BILLS
Yeah, the Texans fell asleep during the second half last weekend. But this is Buffalo!

Browns (+13) over BEARS
Chicago will win this one easily, but not by two TDs. They still have no running game.

Dolphins (+3) over JETS
The Dolphins are much better than their 2-4 record indicates.

COLTS (-12.5) over Niners
Can't wait for the Colts-Saints Super Bowl!

COWBOYS (-9.5) over Seahawks
Can't believe I'm taking the Cowboys and laying nearly ten points.

LIONS (-3.5) over Rams
Win #2! Win #2! Win #2! Win #2!

Giants (-1) over EAGLES
Philadelphia fans suffer two heartbreaks in one day.

Raiders (+16.5) over CHARGERS
Raiders will still lose by two TDs.

Jags (+3) over TITANS
Vince Young returns this weekend for the Titans. But the wins don't.

CARDINALS (-10) over Panthers
It was against the Cardinals that Jake Delhomme imploded and hasn't been the same since. If he returns to the scene of the crime, will he be able to turn things around like a Freaky Friday moment?

SAINTS (-11) over Falcons
The Saints are unstoppable force that just laughs at the Vegas odds.

Vikings (+3) over PACKERS
I really, really wanted to take the Packers. Still do.

Screw it. Let's call an audible.

PACKERS (-3) over Vikings
Minnesota's defense is banged up. The Packers want revenge. This should be a great game as long as you have a mute button.

Last Week

Me: 9-3-1
Simmons: 6-6-1

SEASON

Me: 57-45-1
Simmons: 64-38-1

DISCLAIMER: This is provided for entertainment purposes only. If you follow my advice, you are a fool.

Seriously, if you ever spend money based on something I say, have your head examined.

Nothing To See Here

2009-10-30T12:54:00.002-04:00

I'm over at DadCentric today for Alumni Week. In my post, I give mommybloggers some unsolicited advice.

What can I say? I'm a giver.

Tweets Of The Week XII

2009-10-29T23:30:00.002-04:00

You guys know how much I rock, right?

Getting quotes on a new heating/cooling unit to replace our broken one. Didn't realize the systems were made of gold. -- 10.21.09
How did Paul Reiser end up in Aliens? Did James Cameron lose a bet or something? -- 10.23.09
The kids broke the question mark key off my laptop today. Good thing I already knew the answers to everything. -- 10.24.09
Great! Twitter introduces Twitter Lists, yet another thing to measure our popularity against our peers. You win! -- 10.29.09
I'm going to start following people I hate so I can make an Enemies List with Twitter Lists. Useful! -- 10.29.09

P.S. I'll put you on my Enemies List if you put me on yours.

Admit Four

2009-10-27T11:51:00.001-04:00

I have a love-hate relationship with Twitter. While I love the fact that it's easy to broadcast my thoughts (and radio show!) out there and read the thoughts of others, I hate the mob mentality of the joint. Anytime someone feels wronged by a particular brand or organization and sends a tweet about the incident, hundreds or thousands of people (depending on the person's popularity) will start bashing said brand or organization. It's ridiculous.

People spend too much time on Twitter bashing companies. When was the last time someone on Twitter expressed his love for a company (when he wasn't being compensated in some form for doing so)? There are a lot of good companies out there doing great things and making a difference. However, we seldom hear about them.

With that off my chest, I want you to know that I love AMC Theaters.

Once a month, we drive about 90 miles to see a movie. Kind of strange, huh? But it's really the only movie that all members of my family can see. Once a month, AMC Theaters, in partnership with the Autism Society of America, holds a Sensory Friendly Films program. It's always a kids' flick (we've seen Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs and Where The Wild Things Are), but it's geared towards those with autism or sensory issues. During the special showing, the sound is softer than at a normal theater. The lights are dimmed so you can still see around you. You are allowed to bring in your own snacks in case your child is on a special diet. And no one looks at you funny or shushes you because your kid is wandering the aisles, bouncing, or making too much noise. It's great!

I'd like to publicly applaud AMC Theaters for their Sensory Friendly Films program. Without a program like this, families like mine would never be able to see a movie in public.

Numbers

2009-10-25T23:55:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday night, I did another one of my Nameless Twitter Radio Shows. This week's theme was songs with numbers in the title. Here's the playlist:

20th Century Boy by T. Rex (me)
Two Tribes by Frankie Goes To Hollywood (me)
867-5309/Jenny by Tommy Tutone (We're Not In Kansas Anymore, Toto)
99 Luftballons by Nena (Cool Zebras)
The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) by Simon & Garfunkel (Funny Things Are Everywhere)
Hawkmoon 269 by U2 (For A Different Kind Of Girl)
1234 by Feist (FlipFlopsChels)
Thunder Kiss '65 by White Zombie (The Goat And Tater)
777-9311 by The Time (Mocha Dad)
Driver 8 by R.E.M. (Confessions Of A Recovering Journalist)
19th Nervous Breakdown by The Rolling Stones (Mommy Confessions Blog)
Hundred Mile High City by Ocean Colour Scene (Mr. Big Dubya)
One More Cup Of Coffee by The White Stripes (All Blogged Up And Nowhere To Go)
Song 2 by Blur (Major Bedhead)
3 Strange Days by School Of Fish (Chunkybumble)
36-24-36 by Violent Femmes (me)
911 Is A Joke by Public Enemy (me)
Love Me Two Times by The Doors (Ramblings Of A Tired Mama)
Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan (Jfo_in_dc)
88 Lines About 44 Women by The Nails (The Weirdgirl)
I Would Die 4 U/Baby I'm A Star by Prince (me)
Seven Bridges Road by The Eagles (All Blogged Up And Nowhere To Go)
100% Dundee by The Roots (Mommymae)
'74-'75 by The Connells (TwoBusy)
54-46 That's My Number by Toots & The Maytals (Mr. Big Dubya)
25 Or 6 To 4 by Chicago (Syzdekistan)
Seventeen by Sex Pistols (me)

I'd like to thank everyone who came out and listened to the show. This week, we'll be playing scary/Halloween music. And save your keystrokes -- I won't play Thriller.